The property market is experiencing a cooling in house price rises, with annual growth dropping to 1.6% in March from 1.9% at the close of 2024, research reveals. According to Zoopla’s latest house price index, the market remains resilient, despite the slowdown. There was a 6% rise in agreed sales compared to last year, driven […]

In a bid to address the escalating number of migrants crossing the Channel, the Home Office has intensified efforts to secure private rental properties for asylum seekers on lucrative tenancy deals. The initiative, led by contractor Serco, offers landlords guaranteed five-year leases at full rent, funded by taxpayers, to accommodate the growing number of arrivals. […]

Hi, in March 2024, I was granted Power of Attorney for my 83-year-old friend with dementia. I later discovered that her tenant next door had not been paying rent to her. I believe it is because the tenant realised my lovely 83yr old wouldn’t be able to spot the fact no rent was going in […]

Hi, I own a single tenanted unit in a block of 30 flats where 90+% of the leaseholders also own a share of the freehold. The building roof is leaking and requires significant urgent remedial work, as some flats are now so damaged that the residents have been forced to move out. Many of the […]

The house in multiple occupation (HMO) sector across England and Wales is worth £78 billion and yields an impressive £6.3 billion in rent annually. That’s according to HMO management platform, COHO, which has analysed Office for National Statistics data. It estimates there are 182,554 HMO properties and 74% of these are classified as ‘small’ HMOs, […]

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has raised the alarm over government proposals that could shrink the availability of student accommodation. It warns that could potentially drive up rents and unsettle the annual rental cycle for university students. During the Committee Stage of the Renters’ Rights Bill, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, the House of Lords’ […]

A new report by consumer group Which? reveals insurers are rejecting weather-related claims such as storms and floods – and that’s making it harder for landlords to find this type of insurance. The consumer group says home insurance policies are using potentially unfair definitions of storms and floods to reject claims made by customers who […]

Housing charity Shelter has unveiled its new CEO, after Polly Neate stood down from the role after seven years. Sarah Elliot, currently the chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), England’s largest membership organisation for the voluntary sector, is set to take on the role of CEO at Shelter in September. Ms […]

London’s luxury property sector is undergoing a dramatic transformation, driven by an exodus of wealthy residents ahead of April’s abolition of the non-dom tax regime. As high net worth (HNW) individuals depart, many are choosing to rent out their prestigious homes rather than sell. And that, says Garrington Asset Management, is sparking a sharp rise […]

Landlords paid the price after three men were sentenced for using rented properties for cannabis farming. The convictions come after a police investigation targeted illegal drug production in residential properties. The trio used a property management firm to set up 75 cannabis farms across Leeds with 7,636 plants, weighing 458kg, with an estimated street value […]

Landlords, with the proposed Renters’ Rights Bill potentially coming into effect this year and minimum proposed EPC C targets just around the corner; now is the time to safeguard your investments and protect your business from interest rate rises, taxes based on turnover not profits, litigation and compensation claims or council fines. For some landlords […]

Sefton Council’s recent warning to private landlords has sparked outrage, and for good reason. The council insists that landlords – not the council or social landlords, naturally – must ensure their tenants dispose of rubbish correctly or face Fixed Penalty Notices of up to £400 – or even unlimited fines. You could file this under […]

Peers in the House of Lords have hit out at the government’s Renters’ Rights Bill during stage two of the committee stage. Members raised concerns over the abolition of fixed-term tenancies, new possession grounds, and fears the Bill could drive good landlords out of the market. Heavy burden on landlords During the debate, Baroness Scott […]

The latest buy to let deals for landlords include Fleet Mortgages which has unveiled significant rate reductions across its two- and five-year fixed-rate products, while NatWest secures a standout offering. Meanwhile, Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) is ramping up lending to £35 million to meet growing demand from professional landlords and developers. Fleet trims rates Fleet […]

A staggering 12.8 million homes across England require energy efficiency improvements to meet the government’s ambition for all properties to achieve an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of C by 2050. This equates to upgrading approximately one home every minute, according to a detailed study by Eurocell, a leading home improvement specialist. Its analysis, based […]

The Housing Ombudsman says it is crucial for social landlords to refine their communication strategies to prevent the unintentional stigmatisation of residents and foster trust. The guidance is part of a series for meeting the upcoming Awaab’s Law, which is set to take effect in the social housing sector in October. The report highlights four […]

I own a leasehold flat in a building with four flats. The managing agent for the Freeholder is useless yet is charging us around 25% per annum fees though they say they are not commission based. The lease doesn’t specify a maximum cost, just allows for ‘reasonable’ expenses. I just got the latest fee account […]

The UK property market is showing remarkable resilience, with student accommodation and Build to Rent (BTR) emerging as the most secure investment options, research reveals. That’s according to Excellion Capital’s latest investment yields index which reveals that these sectors boast yields below 5%. That, the firm says, signals high asset values and dependable income streams, […]

The private rented sector is seeing landlords sell up in the face of tighter government regulations and escalating financial pressures, a study reveals. The property lender Together, says rising taxes, such as Capital Gains Tax, coupled with the potential impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill, are forcing landlords to quit. However, it says that the […]

A homeless charity claims 83% of temporary accommodation in Wales could be cut with the right policy reform. A report by Crisis reveals that more than 12,250 households in Wales are currently facing homelessness. The news comes as Shelter Cymru reveals that more than 94,000 households in Wales are waiting for a social home. Raise […]

I own an HMO with 10 bedrooms. Each bedroom has a shower and toilet, and recreation and kitchen areas are shared. Above the HMO there is a 2 bed flat converted within the attic some 30 years ago. The flat has a separate entrance into the building and a separate entrance to the flat itself […]